The following year, Ballard recorded a college career-high 41 points over 45 games, fourth among NCAA defensemen and third in team scoring.[4] He was named a WCHA All-Academic and University of Minnesota Scholar Athlete for combined performance with the Golden Gophers and in classes.[4] He helped the Golden Gophers to the Broadmoor Trophy as WCHA playoff champions and earned WCHA Final Five All-Tournament Team honors after recording two assists and a +4 rating in the final two games of the post-season.[4] The Gophers then defeated the New Hampshire Wildcats in the 2003 NCAA Final by a 5–4 score to repeat as national champions.[8] Ballard received NCAA West Regional All-Star honors for his efforts during the tournament.[4]

Ballard was named an alternate captain in his third year[9] and produced 11 goals and 36 points over 37 games. His 0.97 points-per-game average ranked second among NCAA defensemen, while his five game winning goals were second among all WCHA players and fifth in the NCAA.[10] Ballard served as captain in place of Grant Potulny when the latter was sidelined with injury.[11] Ballard was also sidelined for seven games during the campaign himself with a knee injury.[11] He was voted by his teammates as Minnesota's most valuable player[12] and received WCHA First All-Star Team, WCHA All-Tournament Team and NCAA West First All-Star Team honors.[5] Ballard was also one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the NCAA's top men's ice hockey player (it was awarded to Junior Lessard of the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs).[13][14] The Golden Gophers failed to defend their national championship, however, losing their regional final to Minnesota-Duluth.[15]

Ballard left the Golden Gophers seventh all-time among team defensemen with 33 goals.[16] He was also the 74th player in team history to notch 100 points,[15] which also ranked him 11th among defensemen.[16]

Ballard signed with Phoenix a year later to an entry-level contract worth an annual $1.2 million over three years, including bonuses.[13] With his NHL contract, he decided to forgo his senior year of college hockey. The decision was spurred by his performance at the 2004 World Championships with Team USA, competing with NHL veterans.[13] Ballard indicated that he would only leave the University of Minnesota if he was offered the maximum allowable contract for a rookie, as designated by the collective bargaining agreement of the time, which he received.[16]

Ballard in his first season with the Panthers

Due to the NHL lockout, he made his professional debut in the AHL with the Coyotes' minor league affiliate, the Utah Grizzlies in 2004–05. He notched two goals and 20 points over 60 games in his professional rookie campaign. As NHL resumed play the following season, Ballard played his first game with the Coyotes on October 5, 2005, against the Vancouver Canucks. He scored his first NHL goal in his debut, beating goaltender Dan Cloutier.[21] Ballard finished with 8 goals and 39 points as a rookie; both remain career highs. He led all NHL defensemen in shorthanded goals with three.[22] Ballard was sidelined for 13 games in his second NHL season due to a bone fracture in his hand, suffered while blocking a shot during a game on October 9, 2006.[23] He went on to record 27 points in 69 games. In the off-season, he was re-signed on August 29, 2007, to a two-year contract.[24] In 2007–08, Ballard recorded a career-low 21 points.

Ballard went on to tally 34 points during his first campaign with Florida in 2008–09. The following season, on November 30, 2009, Ballard was involved in an on-ice incident that injured his own teammate, goaltender Tomáš Vokoun. After being on the ice for a goal during a game against the Atlanta Thrashers, Ballard aimed to smash his stick against the post and mistakenly hit Vokoun in the mask. Vokoun was taken from the ice on a stretcher and suffered a cut on his ear that required stitches;[27] he missed two games before returning to the lineup.[28] Ballard, who apologized to Vokoun following the game, was not disciplined by the Panthers or NHL.[29] He went on to match his career-high eight goals and added 20 assists for 28 points in his second season with the Panthers. He also ranked third in the league in blocked shots with 201.[30] Ballard had played parts of the season with a hip injury.[31] After completing the campaign, he underwent the second hip surgery of his career in May 2010 to repair a stress fracture and remove a cyst.[31]

On June 25, 2010, during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Ballard was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with Victor Oreskovich, for Michael Grabner, Steve Bernier, and Vancouver's first round pick, the 25th overall selection, used to select Quinton Howden.[32] After spending two months of the off-season on crutches while recovering from surgery, he reported to the Canucks' training camp, but struggled in the pre-season.[31] Four games into the regular season, he suffered a concussion after being hit into the boards by Los Angeles Kings forward Brad Richardson on October 16, 2010.[33] He was subsequently sidelined for five games.[5] Upon returning to the lineup, however, his play continued to struggle. Averaging 13 minutes of ice time a game, he was eventually taken out of the lineup for four games in November by Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault.[34] It marked the first time in his career he was a healthy scratch.[34] After being re-insterted into the lineup, he scored his first goal as a Canuck in a 6–1 win against the San Jose Sharks on November 26.[35] Several months later, Ballard suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee during a game against the Ottawa Senators on February 7, 2011. The injury resulted from opposing forward Milan Michalek tripping him from behind, which Canucks general manager Mike Gillis pointed out did not occur anywhere near the puck, alluding to the play as illegal and disrespectable.[36] Ballard finished his first regular season with career lows in games played (65), goals (2), assists (5), points (7) and average ice time per game (15 minutes and 14 seconds). His individual struggles came amidst a franchise record season for the Canucks, who won the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's regular season champion for the first time in team history. Entering the playoffs as the first seed in the West, the Canucks advanced past the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks to qualify for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals. Facing the Boston Bruins, Vancouver lost the Stanley Cup in Game 7. Over the team's 25 playoff games, Ballard dressed for 10. Playing only one game of the final two rounds, he droppd in the depth chart behind Aaron Rome and rookie Chris Tanev.

Ballard made his international debut with Team USA at the 2000 IIHF World U18 Championships in Switzerland. He was named to the squad while playing in the National Under-18 Development Program for the 1999–2000 season. He contributed a goal and an assist in six games, as the United States finished in eighth place.[37] Two years later, Ballard was named to the under-20 squad for the 2001 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic. He played in seven games, recording a goal and an assist. The United States lost in the quartefinal to Russia and went on to place in fifth after defeating Sweden 3–2 in a consolation match.[38]

Three years later, Ballard began a three-year stretch of consecutive appearances at the World Championships. He recorded an international career-high three assists at the 2007 tournament in Russia, as the United States were eliminated in a 5–4 shootout loss to Finland in the quarterfinal.[42] Competing in Quebec City and Halifax, Canada, the following year, Ballard recorded two assists in five games while ranking seventh among team defensemen in average ice time per game.[43] The United States finished in sixth place, losing in the quarterfinal to Finland.[44] Ballard made his second bronze medal game appearance with the United States at the 2009 IIHF World Championship in Switzerland, but lost to Sweden by a 4–2 score.[45] He contributed a goal and two assists in nine games while ranking second on the squad in plus-minus with a +3 rating and sixth among team defensemen in average ice time per game.[46]

Ballard is a two-way defenseman, capable of contributing both offensively and defensively. Known for his hard hitting, specifically with hip checks,[47] he led his club in hits during his first five years in the NHL.[48][49][50][51][52] He is also proficient in shot-blocking.[53] Offensively, Ballard is noted as a good skater, making him able to start plays from the defensive zone.[18] He has a reputation as a player with intensity and a competitive edge.[9]

Ballard was born in Baudette, Minnesota, to parents Steve and Joanne.[54] He has a sister, Jessie.[54] His family runs a fishing resort at Lake of the Woods in Minnesota, founded by Ballard's grandparents in 1961.[54]

Ballard left home following his sophomore year of high school to pursue his hockey career with the U.S. National Development Team in Ann Arbour, Michigan.[54] During his time with the Omaha Lancers, he graduated from Millard North High School in Omaha, Nebraska.[4] He was a multi-sport athlete during high school career, having earned an All-Conference selection as a [fullback and linebacker playing football and finishing as Conference championship runner-up as a golfer.[1][4]